


cuddles & hangovers

by seoktothegyu



Category: Day6 (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Friends to Lovers, Love Confessions, M/M, Short & Sweet, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:33:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28333164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seoktothegyu/pseuds/seoktothegyu
Summary: To Brian, Jae is a lot of things: a decent roommate, a clingy drunk, and the only other person who knows how he likes his eggs and coffee in the morning.or, the one wherein brian is once again nursing jae’s hangover until suddenly, with one look at that god awful bedhead and pillow creases on jae’s cheeks, he realizes that there’s definitely no one else he’s rather spend this bright and early Sunday morning with.
Relationships: Kang Younghyun | Young K/Park Jaehyung | Jae
Comments: 15
Kudos: 80
Collections: Day6 OTPs





	cuddles & hangovers

**Author's Note:**

> I told myself I wouldn’t write between the 25th and the New Year’s but here we are anyway 😅 another fluffball of a fic  
> So yeah, please take it as a holiday gift from me to you <3
> 
> Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this story are either products of my imagination or are used fictitiously.

  
Every fifteenth of the month, Jae has made it one of his traditions to drink by himself at his favorite hole-in-the-wall dive bar downtown. His father succumbed to his illness barely two years ago on January 15th, alone in his death bed while Jae was away finishing his bachelor’s degree in marketing. Out of an almost equally balanced mixture of guilt and grief, he has started this routine of getting wasted once a month ever since. 

_Dad lived a clean and healthy life and yet his liver still fucked him up. Why does it matter now that I love to drown myself in bourbon whiskey on the regular?_

So, here he is again. The wretched date falls on a Saturday tonight, the reminder making his expression sour. He hates it whenever the fifteenth lands on a weekend. The bar gets a bit too crowded, making the space not conducive enough for his monthly-scheduled self-pity party. Also, whenever his best friend, Brian, arrives at the bar to take him home, it never fails to slip his notice how the other patrons are eyeing the latter with barely concealed interest. Jae hates seeing that the most.

Although on the bright side, every time Brian grabs his arm to place it over his broad shoulders—a trait that Jae was indescribably pleased to find out during the first night of his tradition—satisfaction blooms in his chest to see the disappointment taking shape in all those people’s faces. Or when Brian finally leads him out of the bar, one hand clasped tightly around his waist, keeping their sides flushed closely to help him walk. The way their disappointment easily morphs into something akin to envy lingers in his head for a few days after.

One time, he even sent a wink to that one girl who was still wistfully staring at them for too long just to be petty and annoying.

Really, he’s just relieved Brian never seems to notice how other people almost constantly follow him with their gaze. 

Sucks to be in love with your best friend who also happens to be the sexiest, amazing, and most beautiful person in the world.

Jae puffs out a heavy breath, uncaring that he made an unattractive sound the person to his left definitely heard. All he ever had eyes for is Brian anyway. And speaking of the devil—rather, angel really—Jae stares almost longingly as Brian approaches him by the bar.

Yup, tonight is definitely not an exception.

Even under dim lighting and still in his office clothes, pastel blue polo, and black slacks and necktie, Brian looks gorgeous and absolutely ravishing.

 _The Lord is so unfair._ He feels the strong urge to whine in complaint.

“Ready to go home, hyung?” Brian asks right away, coming to stand behind his chair and one hand playing with the ends of Jae’s hair on his nape.

Jae keens at the attention, tilting his head back to get closer to the touch.

Oh, did he mention that he also gets especially touchy and clingy whenever he’s drunk? It doesn’t matter though because Brian seems to like it, even going as far as reciprocating them most of the time especially when they’re alone. 

Of course, that only happens when _he’s_ drunk while fulfilling this tradition. They usually go back to their push-and-pull, sweet and flirty but _no homo, bro_ kind of dynamic whenever they’re sober (even though they are, in fact, both openly homo most of the time as well).

It’s a confusing aspect in their friendship. Still, Jae can’t exactly complain. 

Especially not now when Brian is looking at him with those intense yet warm and ever smiling eyes. Jae likes to pretend that he’s the only one that Brian sees in times like this.

“Take me home, Bribri.” Jae widely stretches his arms wide as an invitation, control of his own volume long gone and the reflexes to feel embarrassed by his own antics have since been cut off from his system. He’s simply too drunk to notice or care who sees him like this, pouty and whining. “But first, get over here and give me a hug.”

Brian lets out a chuckle at him, eyes shining with fondness and a hint of exasperation.

Jae merely shushes him, still beckoning him closer and making space for the other to stand between his legs almost subconsciously.

“You stink of booze, Jae.” He makes a face, scrunching his nose up with it.

“ _Briiii._ ”

A defeated sigh.

“Fine…”

Jae gives a quick cheer before Brian’s arms wrap around his shoulders, and his own taking claim of his best friend’s torso. He absolutely loves being on the receiving end of Brian’s hugs. It’s always so tight yet gentle, so warm but never uncomfortable, and he always holds you as if he hasn’t seen you in years. Jae feels he’s the tiniest he’s ever been whenever he’s in Brian’s arms.

Brian once offered to keep him company before on nights like this but Jae politely declined. He won’t be able to enjoy the honors of having Brian take him home if his best friend is drunk off his own ass too now, will he? 

Of course, what he tells Brian however is that he’s doing this to give some semblance of solidarity to his late father. And teasingly adding how Brian can’t handle his liquor.

Although, it would be a welcome change if he’s the one nursing Brian’s hangover this time around.

You see, Brian doesn’t really drink alcohol that much. But for Jae, he’s more than willing to do so. Jae’s heart thuds loudly in his chest whenever he’s reminded of that.

“How was work?” He asks against Brian’s chest, looking up through his lashes.

He can practically feel the other’s body melt at the question. 

“Exhausting.”

Jae clicks his tongue. “You should’ve gone straight to bed then instead of coming here.” He pulls away from the embrace to give him a chiding look.

“And how would I know that you would get home safely?” 

Jae chuckles lightly before getting up the high stool. “Alright, fine. Time to go then. Don’t want you getting cranky on me again for losing sleep. Thank God we both don’t have work tomorrow.”

“Amen to that.” Brian snorts softly. “Can you walk by yourself?”

Jae tries to focus his eyes on the floor, taking tentative steps. But he’s barely moved a few when he feels his world tipping sideways. Fortunately, a strong hand grabs him by the waist, steadying him.

Looking to his left, he sees that Brian is quite obviously stifling his laugh. 

“Shut up.” Jae grumbles quietly under his breath, knowing that they’re too close for Brian to hear him still.

This time, his best friend doesn’t hesitate to let his amusement show. Chuckling at Jae’s predicament, he adjusts him so that Jae’s left arm is strewn over his shoulders, offering his own body as support. 

“Just lean on me like always.” Brian instructs him, breath fanning the side of his cheek. 

Jae’s eternally grateful that he at least has his state of inebriation to blame for the warm blush on his face. One that doesn’t seem to go away even in the car ride where he babbles random things constantly, and until after they arrive at their apartment.

Brian gently lays him down on his bed before helping him get out of his fitted jeans and sweatshirt. He quickly and efficiently moves around the room to get Jae’s usual sweatpants and plain white shirt combo for bed, already knowing where everything is as if it’s his own.

They've been best friends since childhood but only started being roommates a few months after Jae’s father died. It wasn’t really planned and Brian just brought up the idea to him out of the blue when they were out having dinner together after work. 

Obviously, Jae said yes right away. 

Lying in bed, he watches as Brian discards his own work clothes as well. He lets out a few giggles as his best friend leaves his bright bumblebee striped boxers on, one that he gifted as a joke on Brian’s twenty fifth birthday last year. 

“What, it’s comfortable.” Brian defends himself, still busy rummaging through Jae’s closet to look for a shirt to sleep on. 

What he finds is an old yellowish white Disney merch with the words ‘ _Mickey & Minnie forever_’ written in front, the shirt itself big enough to reach the hem of his boxers and making him look the most adorable yet sexiest thing Jae has ever laid eyes on.

“Yellow looks cute on you.” 

Brian snorts, making his way to join Jae on the bed. “Excuse me? _Every_ color looks cute on me, what the hell is this blasphemy?”

“Wow…” Jae makes space for him, shifting his position so that he’s laying on his side facing the other. “I take it back, you look hideous.”

Brian makes a face at him, settling comfortably close to Jae under the sheets. “And yet you love me anyway.”

Jae tries to hide how much the words affected him. He knows Brian only meant it as something light and friendly.

“You’re right.” Jae sighs, as if exasperated. “I really do, unfortunately.”

But for him, he means it with his entire being. Loving Brian is like the only thing he’s ever known.

“Now shut up and let me cuddle you.” He adds, still as playful but not any less truthful.

With a contented sigh, Brian happily does as he’s told. He makes a move to get in their usual sleeping position, turning to the side so that his back is pressed against Jae’s chest. And as soon as the other’s arm curls over him, with Jae’s hand coming to rest over his tummy, that’s only when Brian starts to feel completely relaxed and settled.

“Thanks for always looking out for me, Bribri.” Jae whispers to his ear, tightening his grasp and pulling him closer as if afraid he’d get away. “I wouldn’t know what I’d do without you.”

Brian doesn’t talk for a while. But when he does, his voice is quiet but oh, so sweet that it’s doing wonders to Jae’s heart.

“You’d do the same for me.” 

“Always.” Jae promises before burying the tip of his nose in Brian’s hair. 

Now that his best friend is back in his arms like this, he lets himself hope that Brian isn’t just doing it—indulging Jae in his clinginess and need of constant reassurance with his embrace—because it’s usually one of his sad days, the one date every month that he’s allowed to wallow and sulk. On nights like this and before they go to sleep, he often permits himself to think that maybe, _just maybe_ , Brian is doing this simply because he likes it too.

  
  


***

  
  


The next morning, Brian wakes up to the feeling of slow and heavy breaths warming the skin of his nape and creating goosebumps along his arms. The weight over his tummy and in between his thighs ground him to the present, easily pulling his consciousness from dreamland and into this wonderful reality. Looking down, he slowly traces a finger along the back of Jae’s hand before carefully slotting his own fingers in the spaces between Jae’s. 

He absolutely _loves_ waking up like this. Jae cuddling him like a koala, keeping him close with those long and slender arms and legs. It doesn’t help, however, that Jae gets especially clingy whenever he’s drunk; a fact that Brian will never admit to taking pleasure in experiencing him like this a little too much. That’s why he makes sure to always return his embraces whenever he can, thinking that Jae will never remember them come morning anyway.

He can’t get enough of being held like this by the man he loves, even if he knows the other was only like this because he was drunk. When Jae wakes up soon, it will all be over again. Brian has jokingly coined the phrase “the fifteenth and all the other non-fifteenth days of the month” in terms of relating which date it is currently. A special and much-awaited monthly fluke, if you will. The touches that they share on any regular day pale in comparison to this. 

Every instance on the “non-fifteenth days” will mostly come from a passing hand on the back, crossed legs strewn over his lap while they’re watching TV on the couch, or a curious chin propped over his shoulder as Jae peers on what he’s cooking for dinner.

Gestures that are still appreciated but not nearly close enough to the way Brian craves to hold him and be held by him. 

Of course, he’s not brave enough to outright tell Jae how he feels though so he believes he doesn’t deserve to complain.

Taking a quick peek at the clock on the nightstand, he sees that it’s only half past eight in the morning. Jae will wake up soon. Hungover or not, his friend’s body clock rarely permits him to sleep past nine. Brian needs to get up now if he wishes to finish making breakfast before then.

With a heavy sigh and a protesting heart, Brian disentangles himself from Jae’s embrace. 

He pads over to their kitchen to cook Jae’s favorite hangover breakfast. In other words, the only food that agrees with his stomach on days like this: a pair of sunny side ups and the bitterest coffee imaginable that it’s basically just a giant cup of pure caffeine. Brian’s grateful for the coincidence that it’s also his own favorite type of pick-me-up food, down to the smallest of details. No wonder they’ve been best friends all their lives. They both pretty much like the same things.

And true enough, just as he’s fixing their plates and preparing to deliver them back to Jae’s room, he hears the sound of his best friend whining from the pounding on his head.

Brian chuckles to himself, already picturing the adorable monstrosity that is Jae’s morning hair. 

_Such a big baby._

“Here, hyung. Drink this.” As soon as he enters, he places the big chopping board he used as an alternative for a tray on the nightstand. He hands Jae an ibuprofen along with a glass of water.

“Thanks, Bri.” His voice is hoarse and groggy from sleep.

“Scoot over.” Brian reclaims his place on the bed, sitting up so that him and Jae are resting their backs against the headboard. He takes the makeshift tray to place it on the small space between them, eager to eat everything while it’s hot.

Eyeing the delectable food laid out in front of him, Jae suddenly shares, “You know, because of you, I’ve grown to love sunny side ups in the morning. I honestly didn’t like eating eggs before. I actually didn’t have a taste for strong coffee before either.”

Brian stops midway in eating a spoonful of his breakfast.

“What? You didn’t like them before?” He asks, dumbfounded.

Jae confirms with a lift of his brows. 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Heat spreads on Brian’s face. “I’ve been cooking this for you for the past two years!”

He’s trying to wrap his head around why Jae forced himself to like the food in the beginning. Here he was, thinking it’s such a huge coincidence that they like the _exact_ same thing for breakfast.

“Because,” Jae shrugs, easy and casual, a complete opposite to how Brian is feeling right now. “I didn’t want to sound like an ungrateful prick. You’re already waking up so early for me once a month, it’s the least I could do to thank you.”

Brian lets out a groan, a little flushed and flustered. He has half a mind to notice the confused but amused look on Jae’s face as he pats Brian on the thigh.

Jae continues, “Besides, I got curious to give it another try after I saw how much you like your eggs and coffee in the morning. I want to know why you get cranky whenever you don’t have them for breakfast. Like, what’s so special about runny yolks with whites fried around the edges?” He chuckles, the sound of it so fond that Brian has to look away to avoid doing the unthinkable—like smothering him with kisses or something. “It actually didn’t take long for me to know why. You see, whenever I order them for brunch at any restaurant, some of them are great and all but none of them ever really match up to your cooking.”

Brian gazes at him, heart skipping a beat and tripping over itself. He’s marveling at how it’s such a lovely thing for Jae to do and say. It’s simple yet Brian is already holding on to those words with undivided attention.

_Is he still drunk right now? Or am I? Why is he suddenly being this sweet for no reason?_

Hope unwittingly flickers strong and bright in his chest.

“But I still don’t get why you would want to try them just because you know I like them.” Brian bravely grabs Jae’s hand on his lap, purposefully playing with his fingers so that he has an excuse for not meeting the other’s eyes.

“Because, you’re my best friend.” Jae automatically responds as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world. And it really is but it’s not exactly what Brian is wanting to hear. 

“Well, yeah. But I don’t see why that’s—”

“—It’s because I love getting to know everything about you, Brian. Down to the smallest and silliest details. Just like how you love to cuddle and be the little spoon.”

Brian instantly tenses. “How do you know that?”

Jae looks taken aback by the shock on his face. “We literally do that once a month, Bri. What do you mean, how do I know that?”

“Yes, but I thought you were drunk every time.”

“I was.”

“Huh?”

 _“Huh?”_ Jae parrots, reaching with his free hand to massage one of his temples. “You’re confusing me, Bri.”

“Wait. Hold on.” Brian moves to fully face him on the bed. “So, you remember everything that we do and talk about during _those_ nights like last night?”

“Yeah, why would I forget them?” A slight tilt of Jae’s head, the confusion on his face making way to doubt and apprehension. “I wasn’t exactly shit-faced drunk, you know. I mean, isn’t that _our_ thing? I’ll cuddle you to sleep and you’ll cook breakfast for us in the morning? I actually thought you were being your usual clingy self too, freely indulging me and all that.”

“Had I known you’d remember everything, I wouldn’t have done and said those things…” 

The hurt that passed over Jae’s face almost made Brian take it all back. “Why not?”

“Because! I didn’t want you to know that I’m head over heels in love with you.” 

Brian’s world stills as soon as the words left his mouth. _Idiot!_ For years, he has been trying to come up with grander and more romantic ways to go about it, if ever he grows a pair and decides to confess. Never in all the years he’s been in love with Jae that he imagined it would happen this way—with said best friend sporting a hangover, looking like a lost puppy, and he himself wearing nothing but a matching set of bright yellow shirt and boxer shorts.

“You… _are?_ ” Jae’s eyes flit all over Brian’s face.

“Yes,” he sighs, heavy and resigned. There’s no use denying it anymore. “And now I accidentally blurted it out so can we please ignore what just happened? I already know you don’t feel the same, you don’t have to break it to me gently or whatever.”

For a while, Jae doesn’t say anything. And just to keep busy as a way to distract himself from the sting of rejection that he knows is about to come, Brian places all their food back to the nightstand. It’s gotten cold and unappetizing now. Or maybe not, and it’s just his sullen mood talking.

Finally, Jae lets out an amused snort, the sound almost enough to stop Brian’s heart. 

“Wow, for being my best friend, you’re actually being oblivious on the one thing that’s constantly been on my mind all these years.”

“And that is?” Brian’s voice has gone quiet, afraid to be let down but still unable to douse the rising hope in his chest. It’s tiny now but still very much there.

“ _You_ , you idiot.” 

“Me.” Brian repeats, tone flat and uncomprehending.

“Yes, you.” Jae gently hooks a finger under Brian’s chin, making sure that Brian’s gaze never stray. “With your amazing cooking skills, the way you never miss a day bringing me home from the bar, and with your cute and fluffy tummy that I _love_ to cuddle with afterwards. Because I love _you_. And I’ve just been too afraid to tell you until you finally beat me to it.”

“ _You_ love _me_?” 

You can tell Brian is having a hard time wrapping his mind around it. 

“Yes, I do.” Jae whispers, leaning close.

“But why?”

“Because you’ve always been there for me. You took care of me when my father died, and you keep taking care of me in your own adorable little ways.” He keeps leaning in until there’s barely a few inches left between their faces. “And if you’ll let me, I’d love to return the favor until we’re both old and ugly. Well,” a pause, “until _I’m_ ugly. You have the inability to look ugly in my eyes.”

Brian finally loosens up, chuckling as waves of relief and unparalleled affection envelops him wholly.

“Jae, I love you. _So fucking much._ ”

Mind and heart running a mile a minute, that was all he was able to say. And even that, his voice sounded shaky and thick with emotions.

Jae laughs at him, completely adored and enamored. “Thanks to your blabbermouth, I know that now. I love you so much too, Bribri. Man, I still can’t believe you thought I didn’t—”

Brian surges forward, unable to hold back any longer so he shuts him up with a kiss.

Jae lets out a small noise of surprise from the back of his throat but is still quick to respond, his entire body relaxing as he returns Brian’s kiss. 

It’s soft at first, nothing but them pressing their lips together and breathing each other in. And in the next few seconds, they’re already pulling apart.

They stare at each other for a bit, quiet and gazing at the other’s eyes shining with happiness. There’s nothing but the sound of their breaths filling the infinitesimal space between them. 

And then, it’s Jae who makes a move this time around. He closes that distance again, his turn to capture Brian’s lips in another kiss. 

And unlike the first one, this feels more passionate. Brian melts into it, fully offering himself up to the other, no holds barred. Tilting his head sideways to deepen it, he swallows the tiny moan that escapes Jae’s lips. Bravely, he teases the tip of his tongue against Jae, asking for entry. But when Jae grants it to him, quite easily at that, Brian decides to be a playful jackass. He retracts a bit and instead, chooses to nip, suckle, and bite Jae’s plump lower lip. Just the idea that they’ll look swollen soon drives Brian to delve deeper.

With both hands, Jae grabs Brian’s face as he whimpers in protest, directing him so that their mouths slot together in the way that he likes, the way that permits him to taste Brian more.

They’re basically devouring each other at this point.

Brian smirks against Jae’s lips, keening with desire from Jae’s impatience. But since they’ve already waited long enough for this, years and years of pining and not knowing the other feels the same, he quickly stops playing around, presenting himself in any way, shape or form that Jae will have him.

He easily lets Jae taste him, to keep tasting him, as he himself marvels at finally being able to have Jae like this, to openly _hold_ and _love_ him like this. 

He doesn’t know how long they’ve been at it when Jae slowly pulls away to breathe. To him, it honestly felt like it’s only been a few seconds, probably a couple of minutes at most and not nearly long enough to satisfy him, but the way he’s also catching his breath tells a different story.

“Wow.” Jae whispers, resting their foreheads together as he giggles.

Brian surges forward again to steal the laughter from his lips.

“I love you, Bribri.” Jae repeats, eyes shining with moisture pooling around the edges.

Affection floods Brian’s chest. He feels the happiest he’s ever been in, practically his entire life. 

Nudging their noses together, the words automatically spill out of his mouth, no longer having the need to hold back. 

“I love you too, hyung.”

And let’s just say that their food does in fact get cold and unappetizing as their mouths get busy doing something else for the rest of the morning.

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Kudos & comments are greatly appreciated!


End file.
